undergroundarchivefandomcom-20200214-history
Glasgow smile
A Glasgow smile (also known as a Glasgow grin, Anna grin, Chelsea grin or Chelsea smile) is a nickname for the practice of cutting a victim's face from the edges of the mouth to the ears. The cut – and the scars it leaves – form an extension of what resembles a smile. Sometimes to further hurt or even kill the victim, he or she would then be stabbed or kicked, most notably in the stomach (or in case of kicking, the groin), so that the face would be ripped apart when the victim screamed. The practice originated in the Scottish city of Glasgow, which gave it its name. It also became popular in Chelsea, London (where it is known as a "Chelsea grin") and other areas of Britain, for gangs hoping to leave a message to rival gang members. If cut deep enough, the victim may bleed to death. Mutilation of this kind is commonly inflicted with a utility knife, glass or bottle.The Black Dahlia was given a Glasgow smile during her murder.Character actor Tommy Flanagan, noted for scars on his face, received the Glasgow smile after being jumped outside a bar at which he worked as a DJ. In the game Army of Two, Phillip Clyde appears at the beginning of the final level, with scars from a Glasgow smile not present in earlier levels of the game, earning him the nickname "Smiley." No explanation is given as to where or why he received it. In the movie The Dark Knight, the character Joker has scars from a Glasgow smile for which he gives varying explanations throughout the film. He also holds a knife to the corner of Rachel Dawes' mouth as if to inflict a Glasgow smile, but was interrupted by Batman. Metalcore band Bring Me the Horizon released a song called "Chelsea Smile" on their Suicide Season album. In the beginning of the song's music video, a woman is shown putting lipstick on her face in a way that emulates the Glasgow smile. New Zealand death metal band 8 Foot Sativa released a song called "Chelsea Smile" on their album Season for Assault. In the movie and manga, Ichi the Killer, the character Kakihara has slits, held together with piercings, left from a self-inflicted Glasgow smile. The band Chelsea Grin is named after this torture method. Slipknot guitarist James Root wears a mask that gives his face the appearance of one scarred by a Glasgow smile. The ELAS leader Hector in Captain Corelli's Mandolin is accused by General Myers of unnecessary atrocities performed against villagers in Greece: "castration, tearing out eyes, and slitting the mouth so that they die smiling". Captain Vidal from Pan's Labyrinth was given one after his fight with Mercedes. In the movie Green Street, Elijah Wood's character is nearly given a Glasgow smile by rival gang members before his friends come to his rescue. In the film Pontypool, character Laurel-Ann Drummond appears with a Glasgow smile after being infected by a virus, assumedly self-inflicted. In the Alex Rider book Stormbreaker, Herod Sayle's butler Mr. Grin has a Glasgow smile as the result of a knife-throwing act gone awry in the circus where Mr. Grin worked.